Automatic table control for fabric-piling machines.



H. A. SHIELDS. AUTOMATIC TABLE CONTROL FOR FABRIC FILING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28, 1916. 1,225,758 Patented May 15, 1917.

3 SHEETSAHEET 1.

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AUTOMATIC TABLE CONTROL FOR FABRIC FILING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28.1916.

1,225,875. Patented May15,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. A. SHIELDS. AUTOMATIC TABLE CONTROL FOR FABRIC FILING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 1916.

l %5,875, Patented May 15, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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WNTTED STATES FATENT @FFEQE.

HARRY A. SHIELDS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC TABLE CONTROL FOR FABRIC-FILING MACHINES.

Application filed April 28, 1916.

To all Hill/OWL it may COI'LCMW.

Be it known that I, HARRY A. SHmLns, a citizen of the "United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Table Controls for Fabric-Piling Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an automatic table control for fabric piling machines, it being the primary object and purpose of the invention to provide mechanism in which, as fabric is fed through a machine of the character shown, in my previous application Ser. No. 15,510, filed March 19, 1915, patented Sept. 12, 1916, No. 1,197,865 and on to a table beneath the machine, said table will automatically lower with each length of fabric thereon a distance equal to the thickness of the fabric thus laid on the table. A further object of the invention consists in the provision of means carried by the moving carriage and bearing against the fabric laid on the table for controlling the mecha nism which lowers the table as the fabric is piled thereon. A still further object consists in the provision of means for automatically raising the said controlling means as it passes over the ends of the fabric, thereby insuring against any dislocation of the fabric ends which might otherwise occur. Many other objects and purposes of the invention including a manually controlled means for raising the table to initial position after a pile of fabric strips have been removed therefrom; in mechanism for automatically stopping the table when it has reached a predetermined height; and in many novel and useful details of construction and operation for attaining the results and functions specifically enumerated together with many others not enumerated in detail will be apparent as understanding had, of the construction showing the pre ferred type of my invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the supporting frame of the machine showing the automatic table control mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is an end view of said mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the au- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 191?.

Serial No. 94,142.

tomatic control mechanism being shown partially in section.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a con'iplete cloth piling machine equipped with my invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The supporting frame for the machine of the character described in my previous application above identified is comprised of spaced apart vertical posts 1 at each end which are connected by side rails 2 adjacent the upper ends of the said posts and by parallel side rails 3 below the rails 2, there being also provided cross rails 4: for completing the frame. The side rails 2 of which in the complete machine, there are two spaced apart and located parallel to each other, each carry a rack 5 and support the carriage 6 for the cutting mechanism, this carriage and the mechanism therein moving back and forth over the frame as fully described in my previous application.

A shaft 7 square in cross section lies lengthwise of the frame and during the op eration of the machine is driven continuously from any suitable source of power. A pinion 8 is fixed on said shaft and meshes with apinion 9 loosely mounted upon a stud shaft 10, this pinion in turn meshing with a pinion 11 loose upon the shaft 12. A collar is formed integral with the pinion 11 and on its face is provided with a series of clutch teeth 13. There is also loosely carried upon shaft 12 a larger gear 14 which meshes with and is driven by the pinion 8, it being of sufficient width to drive both the pinion 9 and the gear 14: as shown. The ends of shafts 7 and 12 are carried in suitable bearings in a bracket 15 connected to the post 1 while the stud shaft 10 is firmly secured to this bracket. Shaft 12 extends inwardly a distance through a. journal hearing 16 positioned. alongside the post 1 as shown.

Inserted in a face of the gear l-lare a plurality of cork plugs 17 A dish 18 is keyed to the shaft 12, one face lying closely adjacent the plugs 17. A plurality of fingers 19 are mounted between outstanding ears 20 attached to the gear 14, each having a projection or shoulder which lies against a face of the disk 18, the ends of these fingers extending radially toward the shaft 12 and bearing against the face of a collar 21 splined on the shaft 12. This collar carries a headed pin 22 which extends inwardly through an opening to the center of the shaft lying between the rods 23 and 24 loosely mounted in a longitudinal opening bored lengthwise of the shaft. A coil spring 25 of light tension forces the shorter rod 24 against the pin 22, the normal tendency being to carry the collar 21 against the face of the bearing 16. The end of the longer rod 23 extends beyond the end of the shaft 12 and is supported by a bracket 26 and has a head 27 between which and the bracket a coil spring 28 is interposed, the normal tendency of which is to carry the rod 23 away from pin 22.

A worm 29 is keyed to the end of shaft 12 meshing with a worm gear 30 on a cross shaft 31 which extends between the upper rails 2 of the frame. Adjacent the worm gear 30 a sprocket wheel 32 is fixed to shaft 31 while immediately below said shaft 31 a similar cross shaft 33 is mounted between the lower bars 3 of the frame, it having a sprocket wheel 34 fixed thereon. Around sprocket wheels 32 and 34 an endless sprocket chain 35 is passed, it being apparent that there is one of these sprocket chains at each corner of the frame and that all of them work together simultaneously, the construction being substantially the old construction shown in my Patent No. 945,249, issued January 4, 1910. A table 36 is connected by end brackets 37 to the sprocket chains 35 at each corner and with the movement of the chains the table is raised or lowered to different horizontal positions.

A horizontal bar 38 is mounted on the inner face of a side frame member 2, at the end of which the mechanism described is c located bell crank levers 39 and 40 supporting the bar, the latter of which has a downwardly extending arm 41 contacting against a head 27 of rod 23 heretofore described. A lever 42 is pivotally connected between its ends on the carriage of the cutting mechanism and at one end is adjustably connected to a slide 43 mounted for vertical movements between guides 44 fixed on the carriage. An adjustable connection of the end of lever 42 to the slide 43 is effected by a pin and slot illustrated at 45. A roller 46 iscarried by the slide 43 below the lever 42 and normally contacts with the table 36 or any fabric piled thereon, the weight of the roller and of the lever being sufficient to just overcome the tension of a spring 47 connected to the opposite end of the lever as shown in Fig. 2. A rod 48 depends from the opposite end of lever 42 and is guided in a sleeve 49, this sleeve serving as a stop for the ends of pin 50 passes through the rod 48 so that roller 46 cannot pass below a certain point. The lower end of rod 48 is fashioned into a fork between the legs of which is mounted a roller 51 so positioned as to contact with the upper edge of the bar 38 in the movements of the carriage 6 back and forth over the frame. The sleeve 49 is supported a distance from the carriage 6 by a bracket 6 secured to and projecting from said carriage. A roller 52 is mounted at the lower end of the rod 48 to one side of roller 50, there being secured to the side rail 2 of the main frame a plate 53 carrying an overhanging cam 54 under which this roller travels as the carriage moves back and forth over the main frame.

Splined on the shaft 12 between the gear 11 and the bracket 15 is a collar 55 having one face formed with clutch teeth 56 adapted to engage with the teeth 13 heretofore described. A lever 57 is pivotally mounted between its ends on the bracket 15, its upper end being formed with a yoke to engage the collar 55. A pin 58 projects laterally from the lower end of the lever 57 entering a slot 59 in the arm 60 of a bell crank which is pivotally mounted upon the post 1 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To the other arm 61 of the bell crank lever an adjustable stop member 62 is secured and is located in the path of a lug 63 fastened to the sprocket chain 35. A-handle 64 extends forwardly from the end of the arm 60 and interposed between the bracket 15 and this handle is a spring 65, the normal tendency being to elevate the arm 60 and withdraw the clutch 56 from engagement with the clutch 13. In the operation of the machine as set forth in my previous application to which reference is made the carriage 6 moves back and forth over the frame and fabric is run through the carriage and laid upon the table being either folded or cut at the ends. The pile of fabric shown at A in Fig. 1 lies directly beneath the carriage 6 and roller 46 rides thereover. As fabric is deposited on the table it results in an elevation of roller 46 so that when roller 51 reaches the bar 38 a corresponding depression of this bar occurs. The depression of the bar 38 through bell crank lever 40 and arm 41 gives a lengthwise movement to the rod 23 which, engaging against the pin 22, carries the collar 21 against the'ends of fingers 19 thereby moving the disk 18 into frictional engagement with the cork plugs 17, the engagement being such that disk 18 and gear 14 move together. As gear 14 is continuously driven by the pinion 8 the result is a rotation of the shaft 12 and a movement of the chain 35 to lower the table 36. The amount of lowering the table will be only that necessitated by the thickness of the cloth laid upon the pile A, it being evident that as soon as the table is lowered this amount, the roller 46 following the cloth permits a return of the bar 38 to normal upper position and the release of the disk l8 from the gear 14:. When the carriage has nearly reached the end of its travel roller 52 riding under the cam section 54 causes an elevation of the roller 4-6 and holds it elevated while carriage 6 travels through a distance equal to the length. of the cam 5-1;. this elevation of the roller taking place as the traverse of the carriage in one direction nears its end and again as the carriage begins its traverse in the opposite direction, it being apparent that this elevation of the roller 46 occurs at the ends of the pile of fabric so that the roller does not interfere from either direction with the ends of the fabric. In this connection it may be noted that in Fig. 1 the fabric eX- tends substantially to the points indicated in dotted outline, this dotted outline being used for the purpose of showing the working parts of the mechanism which would otherwise be covered up by the fabric.

When enough pieces of a certain character have been cut the pile may be removed from the table. I have provided a counter 66 operated by a rod 67 attached to the end of the lever 42 as s own in Fig. 2 to automatically count the number of pieces of fabric in the pile. This may or may not be used as desired. But when the number of pieces called for by an order has been cut as found by either the counter or by actual count, and the cloth removed from the table, it is necessary that the table be returned to its normal position shown in Fig. 2. To accomplishthis the operator grasps handle 6% and presses downwardly thereagainst causing an elevation of the stop 62 and, by reason of the formation of the slot 59, a movement of the clutch 56 to engage with the clutch 13. The clutch 13 is rotated continuously with the operation of the machine and when it engages with the clutch 56 splined on the shaft 12, the shaft is turned so as to operate chains 35 and elevate table 36, the movement continuing until lug 63 engages with the stop 62 and automatically disconnects clutch members 56 and 13. This disengagement of the clutch members is designed to take place when the upper surface of the table 86 is about to contact with the lower surface of the roller 46 and. by means of the various adjustments shown can be made to take place at such time.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a. mechanism for automatically lowering a. fabric receiving table an amount equal to the thickness of the fabric laid on the table.- This is of great advantage as in the handling of fabric of this character if the table does not occupy the proper position with reference to the traveling carriage, the lengths of fabric laid on the table are irregular and uneven.

With the present construction the table lowers the exact amount required irrespective of the thickness or character of the fabric passed through the machine and in actual operation for a considerable period of time these machines have worked with uniform success, the mechanism being sufli ciently delicate to conform to and lower the table properly for any character or thickness of cloth and at the same time have suflicient strength to receive practically any amount of weight within reason upon the table and yet hold it in proper position.

I claim 1. In a device of the character described,

a supporting frame, a cloth' piling machine mounted to more back and forth over the frame, a table located below the machine on to whichthe cloth is delivered, said table being mounted for vertical movements with respect to the frame, and means carried by the frame and machine and operated by the material piled on the table for automatically lowering the table with each reciprocation of the machine a distance equal to the thick ness of the material laid on the table from said machine.

2. In a deviceof the character described, a frame, upper and lower shafts at each end of the frame, sprocket wheels on the shafts, sprocket chains around the wheels, a table supported by the chains, a'cloth piling machine mounted for movement back and forth over the frame above the table, means normally at rest for turning said shafts to lower the table, and means carried by the cloth piling machine and operated by the material piled on the table for connecting the shaft turning means with a source of power to lower the table, said means operating only as long as the material on the table is above a predetermined plane, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame, a table carried by the frame and mounted for movements to different positions, a cloth piling machine supported by the frame and movable back and forth lengthwise thereof, a drive shaft, mechanism interposed between said shaft and the table supports for raising and lowering the table when said mechanism is driven by the shaft, means mounted on the frame, operation of which will connect said shaft with. said mechanism, and means on the cloth piling machine adapted to contact with the upper layer of cloth piled on the table, and moved thereby when the cloth is above a predetermined plane to engage with and operate said first mentioned means causing the lowering of the table so that said upper layer of cloth is lowered to said predetermined plane.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame, upper and lower cross shafts at each end of the frame, sprocket wheels at each end. of said shafts, chains around the wheels, a table connected to the chains and supported in substantially horizontal position, a drive shaft on the frame, a second shaft mounted on the frame a gear loose on said second shaft, a pinion on the drive shaft engaging with and driving said gear, a clutch secured to the second shaft adjacent the gear, gearing connections between an upper cross shaft and the second shaft, a bar mounted on the frame for up and down movements, and means interposed between the bar and clutch for moving the clutch to engage with and turn with the gear on downward movement of the bar.

5. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame, upper and lower cross shafts at each end of the frame, sprocket wheels at each end of said shafts, chains around the wheels, a table connected to the chains and supported in horizontal position, a drive shaft on the frame, a second shaft on the frame, a member loosely mounted on the second shaft and driven continuously from the drive shaft, a clutch element splined on the second shaft, gearing connections between the second shaft and an upper cross shaft, a bar for moving the clutch element into engagement with said continu ously rotating member, bell crank levers mounted on the frame, a horizontal bar carried by the levers, an arm on a lever engag ing with the bar for moving it to operate said clutch element on depression of the horizontal bar, and means for normally freeing the clutch element and holding the bar to upper position.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, a supporting frame, upper and lower cross shafts at each end of the frame, wheels at each end of each shaft, endless flexible members passed around each upper and lower wheel, a table supported by said flexible members, a drive shaft on the frame, a second shaft on the frame, a member loosely mounted on said second shaft and driven continuously from the drive shaft, friction inserts in the face of said driven member, a disk splined to the second shaft adjacent said driven member, ears projecting from the driven member over the disk, a collar on the second shaft, fingers pivotally connected to said ears at one end and at their free ends contacting with the collar, a projection on each finger bearing against a face of the disk, a rod loosely mounted lengthwise of the second shaft and engaging against the collar, spring means normally impelling said rod away from the collar, means for moving said rod against the-influence of the spring means to thereby cause a frictional engagement of the disk against said insert on the driven member, and gearing connections between second shaft and a cross shaft.

7. In combination, a support, a drive shaft on the support, a second shaft on the support, a gear loosely mounted on said second shaft, means to drive the gear continuously from the drive shaft, cork inserts in the face of the gear, a disk splined on the second shaft, ears extending from the gear over the disk, fingers pivotally connected to the ears and extending toward said second shaft, a projection on each finger bearing against the disk, a collar on the shaft against which the free ends of the fingers contact, a pin on the collar extending into a slot in the second shaft, two rods of un equal length mounted loosely lengthwise of and in an axial opening in said second shaft, one on each side of the pin, a spring impelling the short rod against the pin, a head on the second rod beyond the end of the second shaft, a bearing on the support for said second rod, a spring between the head and bearing normally impelling said second rod away from the pin, and means to move said rod against the pin to thereby carry the disk into frictional engagement with said corks inserts.

8. In combination, a support, a drive shaft on the support, a second shaft on the support, two gears loosely mounted on the second shaft, means to drive said gears in opposite directions from the drive shaft, a disk splined on the second shaft adjacent one gear, cork inserts in the face of said gear, means to move the disk against said inserts to thereby rotate the second shaft in one direction, a clutch element on the other gear, a yoke having a companion clutch element splined on the second shaft, means normally holding the clutch elements disengaged, and a manually operated means for engaging said clutch elements to thereby rotate said second shaft in the opposite direction.

9. In combination, a supporting frame, a cloth piling machine mounted to move back and forth over the frame, atable located be low the machine to which the cloth is delivered, said table being mounted for vertical movements with respect to the frame, means carried by the frame and machine and op-. erated by the material. laid on the table for automatically lowering the table with. each reciprocation of the machine a distance equal to the thickness of the material laid on the table from the machine, means for returning the table to upper position after is has been lowered to a lower position, and means to automatically render the last mentioned means inoperative as the table attains such upper position.

10. In combination, a frame, upper and lower cross shafts at each end of the frame, a wheel at each end of each shaft, endless flexible elements passing around each pair of upper and lower Wheels, a table secured to and movable with the flexible elements, a cloth piling machine mounted for movement back and forth over the frame above the table, means carried by the frame and said machine and operated by the material laid on the table for automatically lowering the table with each reciprocation of said machine adistance equal to the thickness of the material laid on the table from the machine, means for returning the table to upper position after it has been lowered to a lower position, a manually operated member for rendering said means operative, and a lug on one of said flexible elements engaging with said member and operating it to render said means inoperative when the table reaches its uppermost position.

11. In combination, a support, upper and lower cross shafts mounted at each end of the support, a sprocket Wheel at each end of each shaft, endless sprocket chains passing around each pair of upper and lower wheels, a table supported horizontally by chains, a cloth piling machine mounted for movements back and forth over the frame, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said machine, a roller supported at one end of the lever adapted to contact with the table or the material piled thereon, a rod depending from the opposite end of said lever, a roller thereon, a drive shaft mounted on the frame, a second shaft mounted on the frame, gearing connections between said second shaft and one of the cross shafts, clutch mechanism interposed between the drive shaft and said second shaft for connecting said shaft to the drive shaft, a bar mounted upon bell crank levers on the frame, an arm depending from one of the bell crank levers, a rod interposed between the clutch mechanism and said arm whereby depression of the bar and operation of the arm cause an operation of the clutch mechanism to connect the second shaft with the drive shaft, said bar being located in the path of movement of said second mentioned roller carried by the lever, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a support, a table mounted for vertical movements on the sup port, a cloth piling machine mounted to move back and forth over the support and deliver cloth to the table, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on the machine, a roller carried at one end of the lever adapted to contact with the table or the material piled thereon, a vertical rod connected to the opposite end of the lever, a roller mounted at the lower end of said rod and a cam under which said roller runs secured adjacent one end of the support whereby the first mentioned roller is elevated above the material when it passes over the end thereof, substantially as described.

13. In combination, a support, a table mounted for vertical movements on the support, a cloth piling machine movable back and forth lengthwise of the support, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on the machine, a roller carried at one end of the lever adapted to contact with the upper side of the table or the material piled thereon, and means positioned at one end of the frame and automatically operated by the elevation of the roller for lowering the table the thickness of material delivered from the cloth piling machine to the table, substantially as described.

14. In combination, a support, a drive shaft thereon, a second shaft on the support, a gear loosely mounted on the second shaft and driven continuously by the drive shaft, a clutch element rotatable with the gear, a yoke splined on the second shaft and provided with a coacting clutch element, a lever mounted on the support connected at one end with the yoke, a second lever mounted on the "support having one end provided with a diagonally positioned slot, a pin from the other end of the first lever located in said slot, spring means attached to the second lever normally tending to hold the clutch elements separated and a handle on the second lever whereby it may be manually operated to bring the clutch elements together, substantially as described.

15. In combination, a support, a drive shaft thereon, a second shaft on the support, a gear loosely mounted on the second shaft and driven continuously by the drive shaft, a clutch element rotatable with the gear, a yoke splined on the second shaft and provided with a co-acting clutch element, a lever mounted on the support connected at one end with the yoke, a second lever mounted on the support having one end provided with a diagonally positioned slot, a pin from the other end of the first lever located in said slot, spring means attached to the second lever normally tending to hold the clutch elements separated, a handle on the second lever wherebyit may be manually operated to bring the clutch elements together, a table mounted for vertical movements with respect to the support, means driven by said second shaft for raising and lowering the table, and means on said last mentioned means for engaging with the second lever to automatically disconnect said clutch elements when the table has been raised to a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY A. SHIELDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

